Author Salman Rushdie airlifted to hospital after attack onstage in New York state

Salman Rushdie, whose writing led to death threats from Iran in the 1980s, was attacked and apparently stabbed in the neck Friday by a man who rushed the stage as the author was about to give a lecture in western New York.

An Associated Press reporter witnessed a man confront Rushdie as he was being introduced onstage at the Chautauqua Institution and punch or stab him 10 to 15 times. The 75-year-old author fell to the floor, and the man was arrested.

Rushdie was taken by helicopter to a hospital, state police said, noting that he had suffered an apparent stab wound to the neck. His condition was not immediately known, though New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said later that he was alive and "getting the care he needs."

His agent, Andrew Wylie, said the writer was undergoing surgery, but had no other details to add.

Event moderator Henry Reese, a co-founder of an organization that offers residencies to writers facing persecution, was also attacked and suffered a minor head injury, police said.

Amid gasps, spectators were ushered out of the outdoor amphitheatre. Rabbi Charles Savenor was among the roughly 2,500 people in the audience when the attack took place. 

"This guy ran on to platform and started pounding on Mr. Rushdie. At first you're like, 'What's going on?' And then it became abundantly clear in a few seconds that he was being beaten."

Savenor said the attack lasted about 20 seconds. 

After the attack, Rushdie was quickly surrounded by a small group of people who held up his legs.

Another spectator, Kathleen Jones, said the attacker was dressed in black and wore a black mask.

"We thought perhaps it was part of a stunt to show that there's still a lot of controversy around this author," she said, noting it soon became evident that it was no stunt. 

Rushdie, a prominent spokesperson for free expression and liberal causes, is a former president of nonprofit PEN America. The group said it was "reeling from shock and horror" at the attack.

"We can think of no comparable incident of a public violent attack on a literary writer on American soil," CEO Suzanne Nossel said in a statement.

"Salman Rushdie has been targeted for his words for decades but has never flinched nor faltered."